In Germany, voters can choose to vote by post instead of going to a polling station on election day.
Information on how to apply for postal voting can be found in the voter notification that eligible voters receive in the weeks before the election. Depending on the municipality, voter notifications may also include a QR code that leads directly to an online application.
Once the application has been submitted, the polling card and postal voting documents are usually sent by post. These documents contain envelopes in different colours, which are determined by the municipalities. The completed ballot paper is placed in one envelope, which is then placed together with the signed polling card in another envelope. The postal ballot return letter can then be sent within Germany by post free of charge. Postal voting documents mailed from abroad must have sufficient postage.
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Polling cards can be requested until the Friday before the election at the latest. In exceptional cases, such as illness, applications can still be submitted until 3 p.m. on election Sunday. In this case, however, the documents must be collected in person or by an authorized representative.
Anyone who has received their postal voting documents but has not sent them in on time can deliver them in person to the responsible election office until 6 p.m. on election day. Postal ballots arriving after 6 p.m. will not be counted.
